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You Don’t Know Jack by Adrianne Lee
Chick Lit Review

You Don’t Know Jack by Adrianne Lee

I received a copy of You Don’t Know Jack by Adrianne Lee in exchange for an honest review.

You Don’t Know Jack by Adrianne Lee follows off Jacqueline Bouvier Smart, who has completely sworn off men … and murder. But, when she finds herself in quite a predicament when she stumbles over a dead body and into the arms of a a sexy former lover, she has no choice but to dive in head first. When her best friend in the entire world gets accused of murder, she goes all out in an attempt to find out who the true killer is. Along the way, she gets help from a few unexpected sources and together, they find clues and attempt to solve the mystery. But will it be too late?

I had so much fun diving into this book. Adrianne has crafted a clever, sexy and hilarious heroine in Jacqueline and she was an absolute delight to read. This book was quick paced, fun and quite a riot. The supporting characters were so much fun too, and boy oh boy, I sure flipped through the pages quickly to find out what would happen next. I read quite a few reviews online before starting and numerous reviewers suggested that they would love to see a series written about Jack and the slew of characters from this book, and I would definitely have to agree- I for one would definitely enjoy that. Overall, a very enjoyable and easy read. Quirky and witty and fun. I highly recommend this book.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

December 4, 2012
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Pre-Order The Green Ticket!
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Pre-Order The Green Ticket!

My second novel, The Green Ticket, will be for sale on December 5, but I am giving readers a chance to pre-order their book now…

December 3, 2012
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Challenge 2012:Post Reviews:December
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Challenge 2012:Post Reviews:December

December Reviews

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Prize for December: One (1) winner will receive a print copy of The Green Ticket by Samantha March (open to US/Canada residents only) and two (2) winners will receive an eBook print copy of The Green Ticket by Samantha March ​(available worldwide). In order to qualify, you must post the link to your review in the Mister Linky below. This can be to your blog, GoodReads page, or other sources such as Amazon.

December 2, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of December 2
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of December 2

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Mad World: Sanctuary

Author: Samaire Provost

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The year is 2017, and the Black Plague infection has swept across most of the United States, leaving death and chaos in its wake. Martial law is the rule rather than the exception, with outbreaks cropping up when they’re least expected. Alyssa and her friends must not only battle outbreaks of the disease, but also find themselves pursued by government agents – men and women determined to track them down at any cost. Fleeing north to the fabled Sanctuary, Alyssa, Jacob, DeAndre, Caitlyn, Risa and Luke face disturbing ordeals and terrible tragedy as they encounter unbelievable situations in their struggle to reach safety. Using their skills and wits in their fight to survive against ever worsening odds, they weather hardship, betrayal, and the ever-present specter of death as they flee north, all the while vowing to protect one another – and most of all their precious 5-year-old Luke, from a world gone mad. Sanctuary, the second installment in the Mad World series, is a heart-rending adventure of astonishing revelations, tragic discoveries, agonizing separations and devastating losses that test these friends to their limits. With heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat suspense at every turn, this is a story you will not be able to put down. Find out what happens next.

Title: In Search of a Love Story

Author: Rachel Schurig

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Emily Donovan doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body.

At least, that’s what her friends Ryan and Ashley keep telling her. They’re convinced her bad luck with men is directly related to her life-long lack of interest in all things romantic. When Emily’s latest relationship crashes and burns, she decides to go along with her friends’ plans for a romance research project. Sure, the idea that she’ll have better luck if she learns about the great romances of literature and film seems a little silly, but Emily figures it can’t hurt.

In no time at all, Emily finds herself buried under a mountain of romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs, hopeful that her hard work will pay off with true love. When she meets Greg, Ashley and Ryan are convinced she’s found prince charming—after all, he’s rich, handsome, and totally into Emily. What more could she want? And why does it seem that her friend Elliot isn’t exactly happy for her?

Faced with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a seemingly endless string of missteps, she is nevertheless determined to give true love a try. In doing so, Emily will eventually find that true romance, the kind that lasts, has little to do with stereotypes or clichés, and everything to do with finding out what’s in her own heart.

This is book #1 of the Love Story series. Don’t miss the sequel, An Unexpected Love Story, out in December 2012!

Title: Totlandia, Book 1

Author: Josie Brown

Received: From Aimee @ Colioquy

Synopsis: The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize.

But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club’s founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection…from tots or their moms.

In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle.

But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs… just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club.

Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?

This is the first of four books that follow our heroines during “the Onesies,” their inaugural year in the club. Upcoming books—to be released in four episodes each year—will follow subsequent years: the Twosies, Threesies, Foursies, and Fivesies.

Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal. Welcome to Totlandia.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Tragedy Paper

Author: Elizabeth Laban

Received: Emily @ Engel Man & Co

Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Looking for Alaska, The Tragedy Paper has been called “a beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak,” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner.

It follows the story of Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.

Title: Goodnight, Brian

Author: Steven Manchester

Received: Lou @ Story Plant

Synopsis: Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.

December 2, 2012
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Book Excerpt: Tide’s Ebb by Alexandra Lambert-Brenton
Chick Lit Authors

Book Excerpt: Tide’s Ebb by Alexandra Lambert-Brenton

To Marianna’s left, there were only blue skies, the same blue skies that broke with the dawn. But to her right, dark clouds whipped in, pushing forward a cresting sea. The water around her was already becoming choppy. Before the crowd was even aware of what was happening, a fifteen-foot wave slammed into the raft-up, shaking the boats and sending revelers to the deck.

Out of the corner of her eye, Marianna saw something moving. One of the boats on the far end of the raft had come loose and was now floating aimlessly in the heedless sea. There were still passengers on the boat, clearly visible in their bright Brooks Brothers plaids.

“Look out!” She tried to get the words out, but the wind swallowed her tiny voice. The passengers on the boat were staggering—perhaps the effect of too many gin and tonics or the rough sea. They behaved as if paralyzed and incapable of trying to steer the boat. Another wave rolled in. The rest of the boats in the raft held firm, but the next savage wave sent the wayward boat drifting swiftly back towards…

No! Not the Mayor’s boat!

Indeed, the lost boat was careening towards the Mayor’s boat—with only the Mayor’s child, Chas, on board. People on all of the other boats began to scream and gesture furiously, hoping to convince the Mayor’s sweet boy to put on a life vest.

But the boy thought the people were waving at him. At the time of impact, the boy was merely waving back, making perfect figure-eight motions with his tiny hand.

Marianna would remember the crunch of the boats for the rest of her life. She closed her eyes tight, but the sickening thud of boat-upon-boat could not be shut out.

When she looked again, she saw the passenger yacht with a massive hole in its stern—water was gushing into the hole and upending the boat. The boat stood like that for a second, but another wave hit and knocked it over, capsizing it. The passengers were now trapped underneath. The hull of the boat started to sway, before finally sinking, taking its well-dressed passengers into the deep.

The Mayor’s boat was listing, as well—a thin, but jagged stripe on its hull evidence that it too had been breached in the collision. It was only a matter of time. But somehow, the boy Chas still stood, still waving, but his other hand gripped the mast, comely white knuckles even whiter with tension.

Marianna found herself paralyzed with fear. Fear—for the fates of those poor souls, and for the fate of the Mayor’s good-looking little boy. If the boy had been ugly, perhaps it wouldn’t have felt so painful. But as it was, the child was cute enough to appear in commercials, and the loss was unimaginable.

Most of the crowd seemed similarly rooted to the decks of their boats. But a lone voice rose over the howls of wind, and the peals of thunder, robust and driven by determination. It was Marianna’s courageous captain. “Men, lower the sails and make for the Mayor’s boat”

Captain Larry’s men responded to the urgency of his voice, each taking his station and working furiously, some positioning the vessel’s archboard, others angling the bilge and binnacle. Larry’s boat, unanchored, quickly approached the Mayor’s ailing yacht. Marianna sensed the danger here. The yacht was unstable and even the slightest of bumps might flip it over. The sea rocked all of the boats viciously, the maneuver ever more precarious. Larry piloted his boat so that it was at a ninety degree angle to the yacht and then moved forward at high speed.

Without a doubt, Larry’s boat would crash into the Mayor’s yacht!

Miraculously, Larry’s boat turned at exactly the right moment, so that the vessels were now parallel—and Larry’s boat did not so much as graze the Mayor’s yacht. Larry stood at the edge of the boat and called to the Mayor’s winsome young child, even as waves pummeled both vessels.

“Boy! You must jump! We haven’t much time!”

The Mayor’s boy still clasped tightly to the troubled craft’s mast, frozen with fear. “I’m scared!”

“Boy! These seas will smash us both to pieces! You must jump!”

But the boy would not move.

Larry surveyed the scene frantically.

“Men! Get me some line!”

Larry’s men rushed over with some rope, which Larry looped over his shoulder. Larry stepped to the edge of his boat and looked over the edge—now there was at least six feet between the two boats. But Larry leapt like a cat with a beer belly and landed ungracefully on the Mayor’s yacht, each jiggle as rhythmic as the ocean itself.

The yacht was now listing dangerously to port. The tip of its mast tilted down at a twenty-degree angle to a hungry sea that had already swallowed its share of seamen that fateful day.

Larry hung onto the railing of the Mayor’s boat and scooped up the boy, but as Larry tried to pull away, he felt a tug. The boy’s foot was wrapped tightly in part of the jib. Larry’s hands worked furiously trying to free the boy. But the precious child was truly trapped.

Larry’s blue eyes squinted. “It’s no use!” he shouted to himself and to the uncaring sea.

Both Larry and the child were in danger. Would both be lost?

November 30, 2012
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Author Spotlight: Francine LaSala
Chick Lit Authors

Author Spotlight: Francine LaSala

Author Name: Francine LaSala

Website: www.francinelasala.com

Bio: Francine LaSala has written nonfiction on every topic imaginable, from circus freaks to sex, and edited bestselling authors of all genres through her company, Francine LaSala Productions. The author of the novels Rita Hayworth’s Shoes and The Girl, The Gold Tooth & Everything, she lives with her husband and two daughters in New York.

See my 4 star review for The Girl, The Gold Tooth and Everything.

Connect with Francine!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/francinelasala

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Francine-LaSala-Author/223109337705912

Good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4679863.Francine_LaSala

Buy the Book!

Rita Hayworth’s Shoes

The Girl, The Gold Tooth & Everything

November 29, 2012
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The Girl, the Gold Tooth and Everything by Francine LaSala
Chick Lit Review

The Girl, the Gold Tooth and Everything by Francine LaSala

I received a copy of The Girl, the Gold Tooth and Everything by Francine LaSala in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl, the Gold Tooth and Everything begins with Mina Clark, who is losing her mind … or maybe, she has already lost it. Mina realizes that she is dealing with a slight case of amnesia brought on from a traumatic event in her past that she can’t remember. Along with a husband who is never around and her 3 year old daughter, she attempts to tackle the world that she once knew. Oddly enough though, no one seems to want to help her remember the moment that she has seemed to permanently forget. But, one trip to the dentist changes everything and leaves Mina on the brink of a startling realization. Will she able to uncover what is really going on? Or will it all be lost before it is too late?

I found this book to be completely unexpected. At first, I was kind of lost. I wanted to know what happened to Mina and where the story was headed but then I realized that her story was an intriguing mystery and I really enjoyed it. I feel like most of the story was a tug-of-war between the reader and the author, meaning that Francine would only give the reader a short glimpse of what was really going on. It was just enough to keep me going and towards the end, I was quickly working through the pages to find out the whole truth. Overall, an enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns and a lot of mystery and intrigue. I really enjoyed the characters and thought they were cleverly developed. I think this book shows the true range that Francine brings to the table as an author, seeing as how completely different it is from Rita Hayworth. Kudos to Fracine for having such great talent – you have another winner with this one.

[Rating: 4/5]

November 27, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 25
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 25

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Skinnytinis

Author: Teresa Marie Howes

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: More than 70 ways to enjoy cocktail hour–without worrying about the calories

For people watching their weight, enjoying the occasional cocktail can be a problem, since the average mixed drink contains over 300 calories. Now Teresa Howes comes to the rescue with scores of cocktail recipes that average only 142 calories each–but have the same great flavor and alcohol content as their full-calorie counterparts. From a Skinny Appletini and a Skinny Cosmopolitan to a Skinny Mojito and a Skinny Margarita, these guilt-free drinks feature low-sugar or sugar-free mixers, fresh fruit, and other clever ways to cut the calories. With 39 beautiful color photographs plus a section on diet-friendly drinks people can order at a bar or restaurant, SkinnyTinis is a must-have guide for weight-conscious social drinkers everywhere.

Title: A Girls Guide to Fairytales

Author: Laurey Buckland

Received: From Laurey Buckland

Synopsis: For daydreamer Maddie, obsessive compulsive Clare, over dramatic Isobel and happy-go-lucky Sophie, life is more a world of tragic than magic. For Maddie it’s a constant battle against the monotony of a job she hates while her heart aches to be somewhere else, for Clare it’s a perpetual struggle to vanquish her teenage insecurities and to see herself for the woman she really is, for Isobel it’s a refusal to reveal her true self for fear it’s not what everyone imagined her to be and for Sophie it’s a willingness to believe in a rumour that threatens to poison her perfect relationship.

But with the love and support of their friends and a little bit of luck, the girls soon realise that happy ever afters are not just reserved for fairy tale fiction – as long as they start believing in them.

Title: Married by Christmas

Author: Scarlett Bailey

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding…

It’s been on Anna’s wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she’d ever experienced.

But now – only two weeks before her big day – her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell…

Only nothing’s going to stop Anna’s plans – not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Torn Together

Author: Emlyn Chand

Received: Emlyn @ Evolved Publishing

Synopsis: Evolved Publishing presents “Torn Together” by Emlyn Chand, a story about one woman’s search for love and acceptance, her troubled relationship with her mother, and her desperate desire to find the happiness for which she’s always yearned. LITERARY/WOMEN’S FICTION. ~~~~~ From her cheating boyfriend to her dead father and cold, judgmental mother, Daly knows she can’t trust others to be there when it counts. This cynicism begins to melt away when she meets Kashi, a light-hearted charmer from India, who decides he cares too much to let her fade into the background of her own life. After a series of false starts, their quirky romance carries them to India, where Daly must win the approval of Kashi’s family in order to seal their “forever.” Meanwhile, Laine struggles to cope with the pain of early widowhood, fleeing into the pages of her well-worn library and emerging only to perform her duties as a social worker at the crisis pregnancy center. Although her daughter wants nothing more than to work as an artist, Laine doesn’t know how to redirect Daly to a more suitable profession without further damaging their tenuous relationship. Can Laine look past her pain to learn from an unlikely mentor? Has Daly finally found someone whom she can trust? Will the women recognize their common bonds before the relationship is broken beyond repair? “Torn Together,” Emlyn Chand’s first sojourn into Literary/Women’s Fiction, illustrates how our similarities often drive us apart.

Title: Grace Unexpected

Author: Gale Martin

Received: Susan Ethridge @ Booktrope

Synopsis: This contemporary romantic comedy features thirty-something Grace Savage, who has slogged through crummy jobs and dead-end relationships with men who would rather go bald than say “I do”. In search of respite from her job, her mother, her humdrum life, she visits Shaker Village in New Hampshire. Instead of renewal, she’s unnerved to learn that Shaker men and women lived and worked side by side in complete celibacy.

When her longtime boyfriend dumps her instead of proposing, Grace avows the sexless Shaker ways. Resolved to stick to her new plan – dubbed the Shaker Plan – despite ovaries ticking like time bombs, she returns to her life in Pennsylvania. Almost immediately, she’s juggling two eligible bachelors: Addison, a young beat reporter; and True, a venerable anthropology professor. Both men have ample charms and soul mate potential to test her newfound Shaker-style self-control, and Grace appears to be on the fast track to a marriage proposal… until secrets revealed deliver a death rattle to the Shaker Plan.

Title: Married by Christmas

Author: Scarlett Bailey

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding…

It’s been on Anna’s wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she’d ever experienced.

But now – only two weeks before her big day – her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell…

Only nothing’s going to stop Anna’s plans – not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

November 25, 2012
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The Bracelet by Roberta Gately
Chick Lit Review

The Bracelet by Roberta Gately

I received a copy of The Bracelet in exchange for an honest review.

The Bracelet by Roberta Gately tells the tale of Abby Monroe, a newly heartbroken UN worker searching for her purpose in life. After witnessing a brutal murder in her new home in Pakistan, she is haunted by the terrible crime and the image of the victim’s bracelet has made its permanent mark on her memory. She attempts to move past it but struggles. Turns out, this crime was her first introduction into the world of human trafficking. Once she realizes that, she begins working at a local women’s shelter and hopes to help change lives. There, she meets some amazing women with some atrocious stories about their experiences in human trafficking. As she gains their trust, she dives deeper into their stories and then joins forces with a NYT reporter. Together, they attempt to track down the leader of the ring. Will they be able to find out who is responsible for these terrible crimes? And will Abby be able to make her impact on the world?

The Bracelet is not typically the type of book that I would normally read but I am so glad I did. This book will reel you and keep you enthralled for the entire ride. I loved every second and could literally picture each page being turned into a movie on the big screen. Gripping doesn’t even begin to describe it. I am very unfamiliar with the world of human trafficking but this book has made me research a few things already, and I just finished it. Overall, a gripping novel about a sad world that exists … but that many ignore because it doesn’t touch them directly. I would highly recommend this book. A must read.

[Rating: 5/5]

November 23, 2012
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